100 Beautiful Words: Assemblage
by idwir
Summary: The Sky People gather for a wedding. Assemblage (n.) - A gathering.


Assemblage (n.) - A gathering.

Clarke hears the bell ringing and she knows what it means. The sound has her brain firing signals throughout her body and her stomach fills with dread.

She wants to pull the fleece blanket over her head and ignore the repeated ringing that keeps coming in threes. After the fifth time it stops.

"Shit!"

Clarke rolls over and opens an eye. Seeing Raven Reyes scrambling around her room shirtless, she remembers. They don't gather for that reason anymore. It hasn't been necessary for one whole year now.

Her relief is short lived.

"Get up, skanks!" Raven shouts and Clarke sees she has located a shirt.

Raven pulls the fleece blanket off of the bed.

"Hey," Octavia grumbles but only pulls a pillow over her head to block out the sunlight.

"Give us the blanket back," Clarke demands, her voice hoarse. She turns back over and cuddles into the warmth provided by Octavia.

"Your wedding is in less than an hour!" she shouts. She grabs both of their legs and shakes.

Clarke shoots up in bed. "Shit!"

"I know!" Raven widens her eyes at her. "We overslept!"

Clarke groans and clutches her head. "Not so loud. My head hurts."

"Oh. My. God!" Raven yells. "Clarke! Octavia! Harper! Get your asses up. We have a wedding to get to. _Octavia_ , you promised -"

"Yeah, yeah," Octavia throws a hand out behind her to wave her off. "Big Brother knows I'm good for my promises."

* * *

Bellamy grasps Clarke's hands in his own, his smile so big it hurts. If someone had told him all those years ago that one day he'd be marrying Clarke Griffin on planet Earth? He probably would've been speechless, the idea of anyone getting married on Earth so farfetched and crazy.

Here they are, though. After five years of constantly fighting to stay alive and one whole freaking year of peace (where the most contention they had was when Clarke decided to move in with Bellamy instead of her mom).

"You may kiss the bride," Chancellor Kane announces.

Clarke jumps into his arms and somehow her mouth finds his. He holds on tightly, his hands clasped behind her. The kiss is all teeth; they're both smiling too much for it to be a proper one.

Cheering erupts around them, a reminder that this union was much looked forward to by everyone in Arkadia. At last he lets Clarke slide down until her feet touch the ground and hand-in-hand they turn to face their people.

Bellamy still can't believe they made it. He looks around and it's a rare moment where he doesn't watch his friends and only think about those they've lost. He revels in how light he feels and the fact that all these people are gathered to celebrate the Chancellor's step-daughter's marriage to a man who once shot a man holding the same title.

Jasper whistles, loudly with his fingers in his mouth. Monty cheers and claps. Harper, her baby cradled in one arm, and Raven toss flower petals over their heads as the newlyweds walk back down the aisle. Octavia has tears in her eyes but her smile matches his.

And Bellamy can't believe they're here.

* * *

"Can I tell you a secret?" Clarke asks, her fingers trailing lightly up Bellamy's spine.

He studies her face through half-closed eyes. He nods.

She traces her fingers back down his spine and he smiles softly, sleepily, contentedly. His gaze sweeps over her bare shoulder and up to her face again. When she opens her mouth he closes his eyes and listens.

"I was terrified when I woke up this morning," she admits quietly.

"Of marrying me?"

"No."

After a moment of silence, Bellamy opens his eyes to look at her expectantly. He moves a little closer, waiting for her to explain.

She sighs and eliminates the little space left between them. Pressing her face into his arm she mumbles, "Every time I hear the three bells, I-my body still braces itself for something horrible. A war meeting. A funeral."

Bellamy puts an arm around her back and shifts so her cheek rests against his chest. He waits patiently, knowing she has more to say.

"It's been a year since we used the bell for either of those things and I still freak out when I hear it. I don't know how anyone can hear those bells and not think death is coming."

"We've all been through a lot," Bellamy starts off slowly. "It's safe to say you've had to bear more than the rest and it's safe to say there are others who feel the exact same way you do."

Clarke scoffs. "Like who?" she asks in disbelief.

He kisses the top of her head before answering, "Me."

"Jasper. Monty. Harper," he adds. "When the bells rang this morning, I swear Jasper turned paper white. And Monty said the time before Harper started crying uncontrollably."

"Really?" Clarke sits up and searches his face for any hint that he may be kidding.

"Honestly."

Clarke nods, then says, "Well, good. I can't have you thinking I'm weaker than anyone else. I am Wanheda."

She lets out a laugh and it's the loveliest thing he's ever heard. He quickly flips her so she's on her back and he pins her wrists down, his knees pressing into her hips. "Not anymore," he tells her.

"Not anymore," she agrees.

"Never again."


End file.
